


wild blue yonder

by leeswaggy



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, I'm Sorry, M/M, Pre-Battle of Five Armies, Protective Dwalin, Ri Family Feels, enemies to lovers I guess, like.. a lot of angst, nori has a crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:54:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29007144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leeswaggy/pseuds/leeswaggy
Summary: Nori hates being weak, but even he needs something to hold on to.
Relationships: Dori & Nori & Ori (Tolkien), Dwalin/Nori (Tolkien)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 14





	wild blue yonder

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! I decided to translate another one of my stories, so here it is. Once again, English isn't my first language, so if you find any mistakes, please let me know!  
> The story is inspired by the song Wild Blue Yonder by The Amazing Devil, and I highly recommend listening to it because it really is amazing!!
> 
> Have fun reading <3

Usually, Nori gets over things rather quickly, particularly when the subjects in question are his lovers. He had quite a lot of them in Ered Luin, and most of them, he forgot minutes after they left, but there’s this one dwarf who didn’t leave the back of his mind ever since – and as fate would have it, that dwarf is _of course_ part of the group that left to fight the dragon and reclaim Erebor. If it were up to Nori, he would still regularly run away from the guardsmen in the Blue Mountains to bring little presents back home to Ori, but his brothers had other plans.

Of course they would follow the king – Ori, who never saw anything of the world and wants to go on an adventure more than anything (which might be partially Nori’s fault), and Dori, who would never leave his younger brother on his own. And Nori, who cares for his brothers much more than he shows them and who would do absolutely anything for Ori and Dori – including going with them on their stupid quest because he would never let them go anywhere without him.

And he’s glad that he came along, even though all the incidents that almost took his brothers from him haunt him more than he would ever admit. The trolls, the goblins, the bear, the dragon… The thought alone almost makes Nori’s heart stop. He was so worried about Dori and Ori, he didn’t even have time to look after himself, and down in the caves of the goblins, after the Goblin King’s dead body crushed him, he really thought he would die. Dori was so focused on Ori, he didn’t even look at Nori, the thief couldn’t get out by himself, and nobody else would help him, so he would die, right? That’s what he thought back then. Nobody would wait for him, nobody would notice.

But then, there was a pair of strong hands that lifted the weight off him and pulled him up – Dwalin. Under different circumstances, Nori would have hissed at him and shook his hands off immediately, but right now he could do nothing but hold on to Dwalin as if he was everything that kept him alive, because in that moment, he was.

And ever since then, Nori can’t stop thinking about him. More and more often he catches himself staring at Dwalin and thinking about the future they could’ve had if they never chose different paths. Sure, their relationship back in Ered Luin was more than unhealthy, but they both got older since then, they’ve grown, and perhaps…

No. Nori doesn’t need anyone. He needs Ori and Dori and nobody else, especially not Dwalin. At least that’s what Nori tries to tell himself – if he’s being honest, his heart belonged to the quick-tempered guardsman ever since he first laid eyes on him, even though Nori really did try everything to not fall in love. And now, there’s a big problem because the battle is approaching and he doesn’t just have to worry about two dwarves, no, he has to worry about _three_. And to be absolutely, completely honest, he has to worry about twelve dwarves and one hobbit because his plan not to get close to anyone failed miserably. Still, his brothers and Dwalin are the ones he worries about the most.

It’s the night before battle and Nori makes sure he never loses physical contact with his brothers because he’s afraid of losing them and not finding them again before morning. He knows that they’ll never lose each other while they’re in the mountain anyway, but that doesn’t make his fear go away, and he holds on to Ori’s coat so tightly he can see the white of his knuckles peaking through his skin. Dori’s had his arms wrapped around both of them for hours and he refuses to let them go but right now, none of them would want to be anywhere else. They need the physical closeness – they all know that tonight could be their last chance to hug each other.

Once again Nori curses his brothers for being so damn loyal to Thorin and for wanting to go on this quest. They could all still be in Ered Luin, in their small house, regularly arguing because Dori doesn’t like Nori bringing home stolen things. Ori would be happy every time Nori comes home, and Nori would hold his little brother in his arms and promise he would always come back home to him.

And now, for the first time in his life, he can’t make that promise. This is a battle, a war, not just some small theft, and Nori’s wits won’t save him. His chance to survive the next day is as bad as that of anyone else, if not worse, because he already knows he won’t be fighting only for himself. Dori is strong, much stronger than he looks, and he knows how to fight, but Ori? Too-young, too-gentle, too-small Ori who has nothing but his slingshot? Who never picks flowers because he feels bad for killing them? Who spends all his time writing down the things that are important to him to make sure he’ll always remember all the details and who never used a real weapon in all his life? No, he won’t make it through the battle on his own, they all know that. Nori and Dori don’t have to say anything to know that the other one would give his life for Ori’s if necessary, and both of them are prepared to die tomorrow if it’ll give Ori a tiny chance of surviving.

Nori squints so nobody can see he’s crying and lifts his head a wee bit to look around the hall – every dwarf stays close to his family, and Thorin and Bilbo are standing next to each other on the wall. When Nori lets his gaze wander, he sees Dwalin, who, even though he’s standing next to Balin on the opposite side of the room, looks directly at Nori.

Gently, careful not to frighten his brothers, the thief loosens his grasp on Ori’s coat and strokes through his brothers’ hair: “I’m gonna be right back, alright?”

“Hurry”, Ori whispers, and with the hint of a smile, Nori nods before slowly standing up.

Dwalin already left the room, probably because he saw Nori getting up, so Nori follows him to a dark hallway that seems rather small compared to the spacious halls that take up the majority of Erebor. Nori makes slow steps towards the bigger dwarf until their faces are mere inches away from each other, and he almost grabs Dwalin’s hair to pull him down and kiss him harder than he probably should, but he hesitates. That’s not what they need right now.

It’s Dwalin who gently places his hand on Nori’s shoulder and pulls the thief into a hug.

That’s new, they never were so… careful with each other, but for once, that is e _xactly_ what they need – both of them. Nori always was convinced he was better off without Dwalin, that the other dwarf wasn’t someone Nori wants or needs in his life, but right now he’s incredibly glad to be with him. He buries his face in the fur on Dwalin’s coat and sighs so quietly he’s sure Dwalin can’t even hear him. They stand there together for what feels like an eternity before Nori starts speaking.

“Dwalin, I’m… I’m afraid. Of the battle.”

“I know. ‘m afraid too.”

And hearing those words from an experienced warrior who fought many battles before doesn’t take Nori’s fear away, but Dwalin’s honesty means more to him than that. Nori himself never thought he’d talk to Dwalin, of all people, about his feelings, but that’s what gives both of them something to hold on to.

“I’ll keep an eye on ye. And Dori and Ori. Nothing’ll happen to you”, Dwalin mutters quietly and even though Nori really tries not to cry, a single tear falls down his cheek. Dwalin will protect them, and with Dwalin on his side nothing can happen to Ori. If Ori gets hurt, Nori will break, and Dwalin seems to know that.

But Nori’s tear isn’t exclusively a relieved one, because whether he wants it or not, he worries about Dwalin. Yes, he’s a remarkable warrior, better than most of the other members of the company and certainly better than Nori, but Dwalin is also unbelievably stubborn and would always put the ones he cares about before himself. Just like Nori, Dwalin would give his life without second thought if it meant protecting someone he loves and that’s exactly what worries Nori so much, because as much as he needs his brothers, he needs Dwalin. Yes, they did have a difficult past and yes, they definitely are everything but made for each other, but Nori’s heart never really cared about that. It belonged to Dwalin ever since Ered Luin.

“You too, ‘kay? Keep an eye on yourself as well”, Nori whispers, and his voice is so muffled by all the fur, he thinks for a second Dwalin didn’t hear him, but the bigger dwarf instantly hugs him a little tighter. His grasp almost hurts but Nori doesn’t care – he needed the closeness, the touch. He can’t do anything but cling to the back of Dwalin’s coat as if this was his last chance to do so because maybe it is. He wishes he never had to leave the mountain, he could just stay here with Dwalin and Ori and Dori and all the others forever, because after all, who knows what’ll be out there tomorrow? They’re safe here – and yet, they’ll all leave the mountain to fight and to die. Together.

„Nori?“

„Yes?“

„Do you want to try again? If we don’t die?”

Nori lets go of Dwalin’s coat only to interlock his fingers with those of the other dwarf. He doesn’t look at Dwalin because he doesn’t want him to see his tears, but he nods his head slowly: “Aye. Let’s try.”

And now, it feels like they stand at least a small chance to survive the goddamn battle. With his brothers by his side, with Dwalin to protect them, and with all the other friends he made during the journey, Nori almost feels a spark of hope.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments & kudos are appreciated!


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